Kang Woojin arrived at the filming set of the drama "Leech" in Jeonju. The moment he appeared, a staff member's voice burst through the walkie-talkies, spreading across the entire busy set.
"Kang Woojin is here!!"
At the same time, Woojin noticed that something about the familiar atmosphere of the set felt slightly off.
'…Doesn't the air feel a bit heavier?'
It was only natural. If nothing went wrong, today was the final day of filming for Leech—the day that would properly bring everything to a close. Everyone carried their own tension. Woojin had already grown used to this kind of mood.
'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice team was like this too.'
Not just that project—every work he had been part of had shared the same pattern.
No one ever did anything half-heartedly, but when it came to the final stretch, that intensity doubled.
'Yeah… I get it. Is it because they want to end things properly? Or maybe it feels like the last day of an exam.'
Especially since Leech wasn't aiming to stop at a domestic release, Director Ahn Gabok and the entire cast and crew had poured everything into reaching the international stage—the Cannes Film Festival.
Today meant something to everyone.
Even Woojin, who rarely let his emotions show, found himself thinking—
'…Why do I feel nervous? I should probably work harder than usual today.'
He suppressed the quickening of his heartbeat and steadied himself. Whether it was acting or anything else, he never approached things carelessly—but reaffirming that resolve wasn't a bad thing.
The more he focused, the more his expression stiffened, yet he continued to control his mindset.
Pushing through the crowd of staff, Kang Woojin reached the large tent used as the actors' waiting room. All the lead actors were already there—Shim Hanho, Oh Heeryeong, Jin Jaejun, Han Sojin—veterans all. It wasn't that Woojin was late. They had simply arrived earlier after staying nearby.
Still—
"Hmm, you're here."
Director Ahn Gabok, with his short white hair and deeply lined face, stood before the actors with a faint smile. In his hand was the continuity script.
It was clearly the final one for Leech.
Woojin lowered his voice and bowed slightly.
"Yes, Director."
He greeted the senior actors as well. Most responded warmly. Their expressions were serious, no different from the overall atmosphere on set. Everyone was already focused. Woojin felt a slight tension, but he soon let himself sink into the flow.
Director Ahn Gabok gave the actors a brief final word.
"We're starting, but don't rush. Just like always—do it the way you've been doing."
As expected, the veteran director kept it simple.
"Alright, let's begin. Hanho and Woojin first. Be ready in thirty minutes."
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Dozens of minutes later, filming officially began.
"Action."
The first shoot of the day was a scene between Kang Woojin and Shim Hanho. As Park Haseong and Chairman Yoon Jeongbae, they created a restrained yet intense tension. It was a delicate scene, but the pressure within it was undeniable.
Not only the actors—the entire set carried that same atmosphere.
More than a hundred staff members remained silent. Director Ahn Gabok watched the monitor closely. The actors, instead of staying in the tent, spent their time observing one another's performances.
And—
'As expected, the set feels heated. My mouth's drying up.'
'Was it always this hard? Even taking photos feels like pressure.'
Reporters were present as well, there for promotional coverage. Several production teams—around six—moved busily around the site.
Because of that—
"Cut. Let's try it again from the rear angle."
The filming pace accelerated.
Woojin and Shim Hanho wrapped their scene in about an hour, and Oh Heeryeong joined immediately after. Her solo shoot took around thirty minutes. Then Woojin and Oh Heeryeong filmed again, followed by Jin Jaejun, Shim Hanho, and Jin Jaejun in sequence.
Actors rotated continuously. Sets changed.
More than a hundred staff moved in perfect coordination.
"Add another reflector here!!"
"Yes!"
Time passed, but the focus never dropped. What began early in the morning quickly passed lunch and moved into the afternoon. There were breaks, but no one truly rested.
Woojin was no exception.
'…Come to think of it, did I even enter the Void Space today?'
Normally, he would have entered it several times to rest, but today he hadn't entered it even once. The atmosphere of the set had completely absorbed him.
Waiting for his turn, Woojin looked down at his open palm. It was slightly damp with sweat, yet there was a strange thrill running through him.
'Not bad… this feeling.'
It was both familiar and unfamiliar.
Still, his entire body was wrapped in a sharp, electrifying sensation.
'It feels like walking a tightrope.'
A narrow line stretched ahead, the peak just within reach. The rope swayed dangerously, but if he crossed it completely, the thrill would double.
Before he knew it, it was already a late lunch hour.
The sky had darkened slightly, yet the Leech set shone brightly under layers of lighting.
"Action."
It felt as though this moment would continue endlessly.
And then—
About an hour later.
"Cut. Next."
Director Ahn Gabok, seated before the monitor, called the next scene. Kang Woojin and Jin Jaejun, both dressed neatly in suits, stepped forward. It was for a brief rehearsal of movements before filming.
"…Do your best."
"Yes, Director."
"Understood."
In truth, this was Ahn Gabok's way of encouraging them.
Because this—
Was the final scene of Leech.
The last take had begun.
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Meanwhile, in Los Angeles—
A spacious conference room overlooked a night view of small buildings scattered across the city. The height of the location was evident from the view alone. The exterior carried the grandeur typical of LA, and the room itself was equally impressive.
It was vast and lavishly decorated.
The square-shaped table at the center was large enough to seat around fifty people, and the walls were filled with posters of major Hollywood hits. The furniture and décor resembled that of a luxury hotel suite.
Nearly twenty foreigners had gathered there.
Different builds, different appearances—but all clearly important figures in Hollywood.
Among them—
One woman stood out.
Seated at the center was Megan Stone, a well-known Hollywood casting director with short brown hair and a tailored suit. She looked around with slight surprise.
"Pre-production hasn't even properly started, and they've already assembled a team like this?"
Every single person present was skilled and well-regarded. Megan had already greeted more than half of them. Even now, people were casually chatting with one another.
'They've prepared thoroughly… This might be the strongest team I've seen recently.'
Was it because Universal Movie had taken on the project?
Even in Hollywood, assembling top-tier teams was common, but Megan had never seen a project grow this large before even securing a director.
"It's hard to say this is solely because of Universal Movie."
A certain producer came to her mind—the one Universal had been trying hard to bring in.
In Hollywood, a producer's influence was often far greater than a director's.
Right then—
A large man entered the room.
Joseph Felton.
Dressed entirely in black, he walked in with calm authority, greeting a few team members before heading toward the head of the table. Briefly, his eyes met Megan's.
Then—
Silence fell.
Everyone's attention turned to him.
His presence alone filled the room.
Soon, Joseph let out a small hum and spoke in English.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Joseph Felton, the executive producer of this film. Some of you I haven't seen in a while, and some I met just days ago."
The stiff atmosphere eased slightly. A few people waved at him.
Receiving a tablet from a staff member, Joseph glanced at Megan again and continued.
"As you know, the synopsis has entered the treatment stage. I've sent it to five writers I believe can handle this project well."
Megan briefly recalled the synopsis she had seen.
'The motif is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde… with dissociative identity disorder added. This won't be easy to develop.'
After several dozen minutes of briefing, Joseph set down his tablet and smiled.
"As you all know, this is the most sensitive and time-consuming stage. But since funding has already been secured, we'll move quickly once the script is ready."
He then turned his gaze toward Megan.
"Since you've seen the synopsis, the casting team should begin compiling a list of suitable actors. Contact me whenever necessary."
Megan nodded, brushing back her hair.
"Understood."
The meeting lasted around two hours. There was light conversation, but also serious discussion about the film. When it ended, the gathered experts exchanged brief farewells and left the room.
But Joseph remained seated.
Megan approached him.
"I'm looking forward to working with you again, like on Last Kill 3."
"Likewise."
Joseph dismissed his team, leaving only the two of them in the room.
Megan spoke first.
"You were the one who recommended me for this project, weren't you?"
"Hmm. Who knows."
"I don't have that strong a connection with Universal Movie."
"What matters is ability. Megan, I value yours highly."
Megan let out a small cough.
"…Thank you."
Joseph leaned back slightly.
"Organize the actor list well. Start gathering information now. Rank them based on overall acting ability, regardless of role."
Megan hesitated briefly before speaking.
"To be honest… when I read the synopsis, Kang Woojin came to mind. Especially with the dissociative identity aspect. He can portray completely different personas freely."
"I know."
Joseph cut her off and crossed his arms.
"You're not the only one interested in him. I've been looking for something that suits him."
"…What do you mean?"
Joseph answered simply.
"Choosing this project was entirely intentional."